DATE =      JANUARY 8, 1998

TYPE=        EDITORIAL

NUMBER=      0-07597

TITLE=       EDITORIAL:  TRANSNATIONAL PROLIFERATION THREAT



CONTENT=THIS IS THE FIRST OF TWO EDITORIALS BEING RELEASED FOR 

BROADCAST JANUARY 8, 1998.







ANNCR:

THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE 

VARIETY OF ISSUES.  NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF

THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.



VOICE:



      THE POTENTIAL USE OF NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL, OR CHEMICAL 

WEAPONS BY TERRORIST OR INSURGENT GROUPS IS A SERIOUS 

INTERNATIONAL THREAT.  



AS THE U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT SAID IN A RECENT REPORT, "MANY OF 

THE TECHNOLOGIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR, 

BIOLOGICAL, AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS, ESPECIALLY CHEMICAL AND 

BIOLOGICAL AGENTS, HAVE LEGITIMATE CIVIL APPLICATIONS . . . . THE

INCREASED AVAILABILITY OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES, COUPLED WITH THE 

RELATIVE EASE OF PRODUCING CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL AGENTS, HAS 

INCREASED CONCERN THAT USE OF CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS MAY

BECOME MORE ATTRACTIVE TO TERRORIST GROUPS INTENT ON CAUSING 

PANIC OR INFLICTING LARGE NUMBERS OF CASUALTIES."



      THE 1995 POISON GAS ATTACK ON THE TOKYO SUBWAY BY THE 

RELIGIOUS CULT AUM SHINRIKYO WAS A TERRIFYING EXAMPLE.  THE CULT 

CONTROLLED AS MUCH AS TWO-BILLION DOLLARS IN ASSETS.  IT 

DEVELOPED AND TESTED A NUMBER OF CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS 

FOR USE IN A TERRORIST CAMPAIGN.  ON MARCH 20TH, 1995, CULT 

MEMBERS PLACED CONTAINERS OF THE DEADLY NERVE GAS SARIN ABOARD 

FIVE TOKYO SUBWAY TRAINS DURING THE MORNING RUSH HOUR.  THE 

ATTACK KILLED TWELVE PEOPLE AND INJURED MORE THAN FIVE-THOUSAND.



      THE POTENTIAL USE OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS BY TERRORISTS IS 

ALSO OF GROWING CONCERN.  IN NOVEMBER 1995, CHECHEN REBELS PLACED

HIGHLY RADIOACTIVE CESIUM-137 IN A LARGE PUBLIC PARK IN MOSCOW.  

CHECHEN LEADER SHAMIR BASAYEV THEN DISCLOSED TO RUSSIAN 

AUTHORITIES THE LOCATION OF THE MATERIALS.  THOUGH NO ONE WAS 

HARMED, THE INCIDENT DEMONSTRATED THE THREAT OF NUCLEAR 

TERRORISM.  ENSURING THE SECURITY OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS, 

PARTICULARLY IN THE COUNTRIES OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION, IS 

ESSENTIAL.



      KEEPING NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS OUT OF THE

HANDS OF TERRORIST GROUPS IS A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE U.S.  THE 

U.S. URGES ALL NATIONS TO COOPERATE IN EFFORTS TO PREVENT THE 

SPREAD OF THESE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.



ANNCR:



      THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE UNITED

STATES GOVERNMENT.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD ON THIS ISSUE, 

PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS, VOICE OF AMERICA, WASHINGTON, D-C, 

20547, U-S-A.  YOU MAY ALSO SEND US A FAX AT (202) 619-1043.  

YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE USED ON THE AIR.



07-Jan-98 5:00 PM EST (2200 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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